Universal plug button or closure



May 15, 1951 P. D.BECKER UNIVERSAL PLUG BUTTON on CLOSURE 2 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Nov. 1'7, 1948 m we E E V NP H P May 15, 1951 p, BECKER2,552,918

UNIVERSAL PLUG BUTTON OR CLOSURE Filed Nov. 17, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2lNvE' ToR. Pump D BECKER Arrow-1 NEY Patented May 15 1951 UNIVERSAL PLUGBUTTON R CLOSURE Philip D. Becker, Hingham, Mass, assignor toUnited-Carr Fastener Corporation,

Cambridge,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 17, 1348,Serial No. 60,499

4 Claims.

1 The present invention relates to plug buttons and closures, and moreparticularly to universal buttons adapted for snap fastener engagementwith apertures of various diameters in supports .of various thicknesses,and the invention aims generally to improve existing closures of thattype.

A primary object of the invention relates to the provision of animproved plug button or closure for a support aperture, which will be ofsimple construction, economical of manufacture and efiicient in useparticularly in closures for support apertures of relatively largediameter.

A further object of the invention is the provision of an improvedclosure of the general type described and claimed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 60,498, filed November. 1'7, 1948, by providingimproved means for preventing radial inward movement of thecap-supporting segments as well as to resist relative radial movementbetween said segments and the cap.

Other aims and objects of the-invention will be apparent to personsskilled in the art from a consideration of the accompanying drawings andannexed specification illustrating and describing "a preferredembodiment of the invention.

In the drawings- Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a plug button as appliedto an apertured support; --Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a plug buttonaccordi-ng to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the plug button shown in Fig. 2; a

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the attaching member before capping;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the attaching mem .ber shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 Ba plan view of a half portion of a blank from which theattaching member shown in Fig. 4 is formed;

Fig. "7 is an enlarged transverse central sectional view of a plugbutton as taken on the line T -l of Fig. 3 and illustrating the buttonas applied 'to apertures of different diameter and to supports variousthicknesses;

Fig. -8 is a fragmental plan view of a blank or stamping suitable forforming an attaching member according to a modified form of theinvention";

Fig. '9 is a fragmental sectional view of a plug button having anattaching member according to the form shown in Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a detail side elevation of a portion of the attaching membershown in Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings, the improved plugbutton is preferably oftwo-part construction comprising an attaching member it and a cap member20 which may be a closure overlying the attaching member.

The attaching member or fastener part it is preferably formed ofsuitable resilient sheet material, for example 40-50 carbon steel, andpreferably is a stamping shaped to provide an inner central fastenersupporting annulus I i, an axial- 1y spaced cap-supporting rim I3 and apluralityof resilient support-engaging fingers l 5. The annulus H ispreferably of continuous construction and may be provided with an outerperipheral bead or emboss'ment E2 to increase the rigidity of theannulus II.

The material of the attaching member surrounding the reinforcing bead i2is preferably Shaped to provide a circular series of circumferentiallyspaced cap-supporting rim segments lit with integral connecting strutsHi and a circular series of resilient fastener fingers i5 interposedbetween certain of said segments and struts. In theillustratedembodiments as shown in Figs. 6 and 8 the outer peripheral edge portionof the attaching member blank is provided with radial- -l'y extendingM-shaped recesses It, thus forming opposed ends of adjacent segments 53and in terlhediate support-engaging tongues 55.

spaced relation and preferably in substantially parallel planes. In sodoing, the strut portions l4 are disposed obliquely to the annulus IIand extend therefrom in divergent relation, and the diameter of thecap-supporting rim is materially contracted.

The attaching member it, thus formed, and

as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, is then capped to hold the circular series ofcap-supporting segments in rigid assembly. The cap member 2%] may be ofany suitable type and construction, for example an annulus ring carryinga screen, lens or glass, or a continuous closure 2! overlying thecap-supporting rim depending upon the use to which the plug button is tobe put. The cap 2E2 is conveniently secured to the rim segments It bycrimping or clenching the outer peripheral edge portion of the cap underthe segments as at 22.

The invention provides means for resisting relative radial movementbetween the cap member 420 and the supporting rim segments 13,particularly during the cap crimping or folding operation. This may beaccomplished by bending the outer terminalcorners of the segmentsangulariy ,ranged between pairs of segments l3.

however, the number of support-engaging fasgaging fastener members Iiiare integrally joined to the annulus Ii and extend therefrom indivergent relation at a greater angle than the oblique strut portions M.The members I?) are shaped to provide substantially flat bearingportions l, preferably parallel to the central axis of the button, forradial tensioned engagement with the aperture wall 5 of a relativelythick apertured support 6, as shown at the right hand side of Fig. 7.The snap fastener engagement of the fingers 5 with the apertured wallsof the support is positive and secure due to the fact that the fingersi5 flex about points of support inwardly of the support, and engage thesupport intermediate the cap member 2i? and the point; of flexure. Thus,the fingers ie are adapted to engage efiiciently the aperture wall 7 ofa thin support 8, as shown in the left hand side of Fig. 7 or theaperture wall 5 of thicker support 6. Secure fastening engagement iseffected notwithstanding substantial variations in the diameter of thesupport aperture due to the substantial radial movement inherent in thefastener tongues [5.

The invention may conveniently be employed in plug buttons and closuresof relatively large diameters. In cases where relatively few springfastener fingers I5 are required for the desired fastener engagement,the intervening segments are preferably apertured or out out orotherwise divided, as by openings [9 as shown in Figs. 2

to 5, to avoid tearing the metal as the blank is drawn to finishedshape. In such case the support-engaging fingers are alternately ar-When,

teners is substantially increased, the intervening segments may besufficiently narrow that they may be drawn to shape without tearing, andthe fingers l5 may be alternately arranged with the segments l2.

Although I have illustrated and described pre-' ferred embodiments ofthe invention, I do not intend to be restricted thereto as the scope ofthe invention; is bestdefined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A plug button or closure adapted for snap fastener attachment in asupport aperture, comprising a cap and a one-piece annular member havinga central opening and a rim surrounding said opening,circumferentiallyspaced segmental sections surrounding said rim and extending obliquelytherefrom, the outer terminal edges of said sections being outwardlyturned 7 providing collectively a cap-supporting rim, said .cap beingsecured to and overlying said rim and sections, and resilient fastenerelements formed prising a cap and a one-piece annular member having acentral opening and a rim surrounding said opening, circumferentiallyspaced segmental sections surrounding said rim and extending obliquelytherefrom, the outer terminal edges of J said sections being outwardlyturned providing collectively a cap-supporting rim, said cap beingsecured to and overlying said rim and including an inturned flangeunderlying said rim, capengaging prongs on said'outwardly turned rimportion in engagement with said inturned flange or" said cap forresisting relative radial movement between the cap and segmentalsections, and resilient fastener elements formed from the metalsurrounding said central rim and disposed between said segmentalsections.

3. A plug button or closure adapted for snap fastener attachment in asupport aperture, comprising a cap and a one-piece circular memberhaving a central opening and a rim surrounding said opening, the body ofsaid member surrounding said rim comprising integral .circumferentiallyspaced segmental sections, integral fastener tongues connected to thebody of said member surrounding said rim and disposed between certain ofsaid segmental sections, por-' tions of said segmental sections adjacentsaid rim extending obliquely thereto in divergent relation and providingrelatively stiff connecting struts, the outer peripheral edges of thesections being outwardly flanged and collectively pro- 'viding anannular seriesof spaced cap-supporting rim portions, said cap beingsecured to and overlying said supporting rim portions and including aninturned flange underlying said rim, the outer peripheral corner of saidsegmental sections being downwardly bent providing a captively acap-supporting rim, a cap secured to and REFERENCES CITED The followingreferences are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 614,817 Murphy Nov. 22, 1898730,378 Lambert June 9, 19.03 786,296 Keller Apr. 4, 1905 1,279,475Stelau Sept. 17, 1918 1,837,346 Thomas et a1 Dec. 22,1931

FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date" France Apr. 28, 1917

